HOWARD THE DUCK VOL.2 #3

Writer: Steve Gerber
Artists: Glenn Fabry (Pencils/Inks), & Garry Leach (Inks)
Cover Artist: Glenn Fabry
Published: April 2002

Background - Back in 2001 Joe Quesada had just taken the reigns of Marvel Comics from Bob Harras (after his unfortunate firing by the Marvel Board of Directors). One of the first things Quesada did was break away from the Comic Code Authority, the long standing group that independently approved comic books being 'fit' for young audiences. Instead implementing a propitiatory rating system so consumers could decided on their own what they were fit to read. This move made way for the launch of the Marvel MAX line. A comic book line for the more 'adult' stories Marvel wanted to sell. Some of these new series even dealt with classic Marvel Universe characters, as well as introducing all new characters. The MAX line launched with such titles as Brian Micheal Bendis's Alias, the western Apache Skies, vampire hunter Blade, tough guy Luke Cage, and... HOWARD THE DUCK?!

Howard the Duck had been created in the 1970s as the brain child of Steve Gerber, as a vehicle to satirize the turbulent times. First appearing in Adventure into Fear 19 alongside Man-Thing (*snicker*) Howard was pulled from his home dimension 'Duckworld' and 'Trapped in a World He Never Made!' ie: the Marvel Universe. Howard was a surprise hit, soon launching his own on-going title. The series would run 31 issues, but Gerber would only write the first 27 before clashes with Marvel over creator rights drove him from the title and the company. It would be nearly 24 years before Gerber would write a Howard the Duck series again.

Enter Howard the Duck MAX. I don't really know the circumstances as to why or how Gerber returned to Howard, as he had spent years fighting for creator ownership of Howard going so far as to create a new series Destroyer Duck as a way to poke at Marvel and their practices. But for 6 glorious issues Steven Gerber and Howard were reunited. Satirizing everything from boy bands to post-9/11 hysteria to DC's Vertigo line to God and most importantly Disney. See, back in the 1970s, during the run of the first Howard the Duck series Marvel was sued by Disney over how closely Howard resembled their Donald Duck character. Marvel not having the will to stand up to Disney in a legal fight agreed to change some aspects of Howard's design. Most notably Howard would never again be depicted not wearing pants. This experience  frustrated Gerber, so during the opportunity the new MAX series granted him he had Howard fall into a 'genetic vat', only to emerge as a giant talking mouse! He would remain as such for most of the series, an obvious shot at Disney's lawsuit. Howard would spend much of the series being depressed by this development, occasionally finding short-term solutions to his problem, but none of them seeming to stick. Until the end when God himself gives him a helping hand.

Gender Blender Elements - As issue 3 opens Howard and his (human) girlfriend Beverly are getting kicked out of a cheap hotel for being broke deadbeats. Their previous home (see: shack) having been demolished by federal agents who believed the pair to be terrorist sleeper agents (long story). Destitute on the streets the pair run into an old high school acquaintance of Beverly's, police detective Suzi Pazuzu. Coincidentally Suzi had been looking for Bev and Howard  in connection to the busting of an illegal cloning operation involving genetically manufactured boy bands (again, long story). Meanwhile, a creepy man named Ian Wippingham has been tailing Suzi. His interest is in the jeweled bracelet Suzi wears. No ordinary piece of  costume jewelry, it is in fact the mythical artifact known as the DOUCHEBLADE. A sacred weapon that grants its host impractical armor that leaves all vital areas exposed, long blades, and vastly enlarged bosoms. The Douchblade having been passed down the generations to notable women from history, until finally finding its way into Suzi's possession.

After Bev and Howard are interrogated down at the police station by Cleveland's finest they follow Suzi home. Just in time to see her going into a strange trance, its just this moment that Ian strikes! In the confusion the Doucheblade bracelet goes flying, only to end up on Howard's wrist! His chest swells up to absurd proportions, and he's overtaken by the spirits of all the previous wielders of the Doucheblade. Howard goes a little crazier then usual, killing Ian with a well placed knife through the head. Howard then turns his attention to Ian's unwilling partner, and Beverly's ex-husband, the nefarious Dr. Bong (who's name suggests exactly what you are thinking... His head is a giant Bell). However Howard's new assents turn out to be heavier then expected, so he we tires to move he ends up crashing through a coffee table. Bev acts quickly, removing the Doucheblade from Howard's wrist. She threatens Bong, telling him to get lost and that their marriage was a sham anyway. Dr. Bong begrudgingly leaves, meanwhile Howard starts to come back to his senses, though he seems to recall carring something really heavy on his chest, though he can't remember what. Suzi is also a bit befuddled, but figures things are confusing enough then keeping a giant mouse and his girlfriend around too.

Final Verdict - This is a pretty fun story, that isn't subtle about the fact that its poking fun at the 'bad girl' comic book heroine archetype, in this case specifically The Witchblade and its kin. Howard isn't possessed by the Doucheblade for very long, nor is he presented as very attractive, being a mostly naked sixty-pound mouse with twenty-pound boobs.

In all this series is worth reading if you're a fan of Howard the Duck, or satirical work in general. Though it is starting to feel a bit dated, with most of its satire targets having been in vogue in the early 2000s. The great tragedy is after this series Steve Gerber would never have a chance to work on Howard the Duck again with his death in 2008. Since then, no other single writer has ever 'got' what Howard the Duck is really about. Currently Howard is fighting zombie super-heroes in the 6th or 7th Marvel Zombie mini-series. As Howard would say, "WAAUGH!"